Apparatus for holding utility poles or the like



pt" 1964 D. E. BRODERSON ETAL 3,147,993 APPARATUS FOR HOLDING UTILITY.POLES OR THE LIKE Filed April 17, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gm Z3 INVENTORS. Dean E. Broderson BY Hgrberf W. @IOMW/JII P 1954 D. E. BRODERSON ETAL 3,147,993

APPARATUS FOR HOLDING UTILITY POLES OR THE LIKE Filed April 17, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS. Dean E. Broderson BY Herberf W ro/zemeyerJz 7 ATTORNEYS;

United States Patent 3,147,993 APPARATUS FOR HOLDING UTILITY POLES OR THE LKKE Dean E. Brnderson and Herbert W. Gronemeyer, Jr., Kansas City, Mo., assignors to Pitman Manufacturing Company, Grandview, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed Apr. 17, 1261, Ser. No. 103,370 4 Claims. (Cl. 294-88) This invention relates to equipment employed on utility trucks and specifically, to apparatus secured to the outer extremity of swingable boom units for facilitating handling of utility poles while erecting the same in the field.

Utility trucks conventionally have a crane unit thereon for lifting various heavy objects, including the elongated poles which serve as supports for wires and other trans mission components. The utility trucks also normally have a pole hole digger thereon so that after a suitable hole has been bored in the ground, the crane on the truck may be employed to lift the pole and place the same in position in the hole whereby earth is then placed around the pole and tamped in place. Although the crane may be employed satisfactorily to lift the pole into place, difficulty has been encountered in maintaining the pole in an upright condition until the earth has been properly tamped therearound. Normally, it has been necessary for the workmen to hold the pole in position with conventional pikes while other workers throw earth into the hole and tamp the same in place.

It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide apparatus adapted for positively holding the pole in position in the hole while earth is thrown around the lower extremity of the hole and tamped into place.

It is a further important object to provide apparatus as described which includes a pair of opposed jaw members which are swingable toward and away from each other to permit poles of various diameters to be properly held in position while the pole is being placed in the ground.

Still another object of the invention is to provide clamp or claw structure for holding a pole in a vertical position, and which may be maintained in a horizontal plane, regardless of the angularity of the boom upon which the claw structure is mounted and thereby assuring maintenance of the pole in a true vertical position throughout the time of erection of the pole in the field.

An important object of the invention is to provide clamp structure for utility trucks or the like which is adapted to clampingly engage a pole for holding the latter in a vertical position during erection of the pole and with the clamp being movable in three directions simultaneously so that the pole may be quickly aligned in a vertical position and the elevation thereof varied as necessary, depending upon the depth of the initial hole in which the pole is placed.

Also an important object of the invention is to provide clamp structure for holding utility poles or the like, wherein the clamp includes a pair of oppositely movable jaws which are power driven toward and away from each other during opening and closing thereof to assure posi tive and relatively fast gripping and release of the pole by virtue of the fact that the opposed jaws shift simultaneously through equal arcs and are thereby positively driven against the outer surface of the pole to securely grip the latter until after the pole has been properly fixed in the ground.

Other important objects and details of construction of the present clamping structure will become obvious or be explained in greater detail as the following specification progresses.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the apparatus showing the jaw members in their closed position with their open position indicated in dotted line;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, plan view partially in section with parts broken away illustrating the gearing of the pinion, rack and jaw members;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, side elevational view of the apparatus installed on a boom; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, end elevational view of the apparatus partially broken away to show the pinion and rack.

The apparatus for holding utility poles or the like broadly designated 10 includes a frame assembly 12 comprising a generally rectangular back plate 14, a front plate 16 and top plate 18, the latter being disposed between back plate 14 and front plate 16 generally adjacent to the upper edge of front plate 16.

Swingably mounted between front plate 16 and back plate 14 are a pair of elongated, curved jaw members 26 and 28 on spaced, parallel axes 22 and 24 disposed through front plate 16 and back plate 14. Axes 22 and 24 may be steel rods threaded on each end or bolts suitable for providing a pivot for jaw members 26 and 28 and also for connecting back plate 14 and front plate 16 to top plate 18 and members 26 and 28.

law members 26 and 28 are oppositely similar, each being provided with generally arcuate, toothed surfaces 30 and 32 respectively, said surfaces being concentric to axes 24 and 22 respectively and comprising gear means intercoupling jaw member 26 with jaw member 28. Both members 26 and 28 are so mounted adjacent one respective end thereof on respective axes 24 and 22 thatthe members present tong-like, oppositely curved, jaws adapted to encircle and grip utility poles or other similar objects, particularly objects having generally circular cross sections.

Concentric with surface 32 and coaxial with and rigidly connected to member 28 is a pinion 34 having teeth 35 adapted to mesh with teeth 37 of rack 36. The latter is provided with a perpendicularly extending pin 38 threaded to engage nut 40. Pin 38 is disposed through an elongated, longitudinal slot 20 disposed in face plate 16 and having a pair of straight, parallel edges 21 and 23 extending parallel to a line connecting axes 22 and 24.

A fluid drive cylinder 42 is rigidly connected to front plate 16 by bolt 44 and spaced from front plate 16 by spacer 46 as shown. The piston end of fluid drive cylinder 42 is provided with an elongated rod 48 extending longitudinally from the cylinder thereof as is conventional.

Rod 48 is operably coupled with rack 36 by sleeve 56, rigidly coupled to rod 48 and disposed over pin 38, the sleeve 50 being held in place by washer 52 and nut 40. Hose couplings 54 and 56 disposed on fluid drive cylinder 42 provide means for connecting hoses providing the necessary ingress and egress of fluid to motivate the piston thereof, as is conventional.

The moving parts of assembly 12 are provided with lubrication through fitting 58 disposed through top plate 18 and fittings 60 and 62 in nuts 64 and 66 of axes 24 and 22 respectively.

Assembly 12 is provided with a pair of elongated, parallel, spaced radius arms 70 and 72 rigidly connected to back plate 14 and disposed on each side of a boom 68 which may be any of a variety ofbooms capable of being vehicularly mounted and power driven as will be under-.

stood by those skilled in the art. Assembly 12 is pivotally coupled to boom 68 by hinge bolts 73 disposed through arms 70 and 72 and through boom 68.

Adjacent the top of back plate 14 and rigidly connected.

thereto are a pair of spaced, parallel, perpendicularly protruding flanges 74 and 76 adapted to receive bolt 82 to pivotally connect a rod 78 extending from the piston of fluid drive cylinder 80 to assembly 12. The opposite end 3 of fluid drive cylinder 80 is pivotally connected to bracket 84 rigidly disposed on boom 68. Cylinder 80 is provided with couplings 86 and 88 for connecting the necessary fluid hoses, as is well known.

Fluid drive cylinder 42 may be caused to drive pin 38 along slot 20 by the forcing of fluid into or out of cylinder 42 in the conventional manner. If pin 38 is driven away from cylinder 42, rack 36 will also be driven away. Since rack 36 and pinion 34 are operably intercoupled, the latter will be rotated clockwise about axis 22. Jaw member 28 is rigidly connected to pinion 34 and it also is caused to rotate clockwise about the common axis 22. Toothed surface 32 rotates with member 28 and, since it engages toothed surface 30 on member 26, causes the latter to rotate in an opposite direction around axis 24.

The rotational movement of the members 26 and 28 will be limited by the length of slot 28 in which pin 38 may travel. Preferably, slot 20 is just long enough to permit pin 38 to travel to a position which causes the jaw members 26 and 28 to close in grasping relationship as shown in solid lines in FIG. 1.

As fluid is introduced into cylinder 42 on the opposite side of the piston therein, pin 38 and rack 36 may be driven toward cylinder 42. This will impart counterclockwise rotational movement to member 28 and hence, clockwise rotational movement to member 26. Such rotational movement may be limited by the length of slot 20 which is preferably long enough to allow members 26 and 28 to reach the full open position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1. Of course, it will be appreciated that the fluid in cylinder 42 may be so controlled that the members 26 and 28 may be disposed at any position intermediate the extreme positions shown.

Assembly 12 is spaced from its pivot point on boom 68 by radius arms 70 and 72 which allow for a wide arc of pivotal movement around the end of boom 68. The arms 70 and 72 are long enough for members 26 and 28 to be rotated through a 30 are from a vertical to a horizontal position. The rotation is caused by the piston of fluid drive cylinder 80 forcing rod 78 away from or toward bracket 84, depending upon the direction of rotation desired.

It may thus be seen that an operator may position the apparatus which is the subject of this invention, so that it may be used to grasp a utility pole or the like. By controlling the flow of hydraulic fluid to cylinder 42, the jaws 26 and 28 may be opened to receive the pole and again closed around it. Again, by properly operating cylinder 42, the jaws may be opened to release the pole and the apparatus will be ready to repeat the operation.

It may readily be seen that this invention will greatly aid in the installation of utility poles. One operator equipped with proper valving means suitable for controlling the flow of fluid to the fluid drive cylinders 42 and 80, is enabled to impart the necessary movement to the grasping jaws 26 and 28. This movement, added to that capable of being imparted to boom 68, allows for flexibility required in order to properly position and stabilize poles of this nature. Inasmuch as the apparatus is preferably hydraulically powered, one operator can perform the holding operation which formerly required the efforts of several workmen. The interconnection of the members 26 and 28 in a way to insure that they rotate in opposite directions, provides for a quick and positive release of the pole when the installation operation is finished.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed 4 and said members supported for rotation about respective, spaced, parallel axes and in opposite directions whenever either of said members is swung; a pinion rigidly mounted on one of said members for rotation with the latter upon its said axis of pivotal mounting; an elongated straight rack; means shiftably mounting said rack on said assembly in intermeshing relationship with said pinion, said rack being reciprocable for rotating said pinion; and fluid cylinder drive means mounted on said assembly and operably cou led with said rack for reciprocating the latter.

2. In apparatus for holding utility poles or the like, a frame assembly provided with an elongated slot therein defined by at least one straight side; a pair of elongated jaw members pivotally mounted on said assembly for swinging movement about spaced, parallel axes; gear means for each member respectively and coupled therewith for swinging movement of each member when its gear means is turned, said gear means being operably intercoupled for swinging one member whenever the other member is swung and in the opposite rotational direction; a pinion connected to said other member; a reciprocating rack operably coupled with said pinion; fluid cylinder drive means operably coupled with said rack for reciprocating the latter; and guide means on said rack and operably engaging said straight side for guiding said rack.

3. Apparatus for holding utility poles comprising:

a frame assembly;

a pair of elongated jaw members pivotally mounted on said assembly for swinging movement about spaced, parallel axes and having cooperable, intermeshing gear teeth thereon of sutficient angular length to permit relative swinging movement of each of the jaw members from a closed position thereof to an open position through respective arcs each exceeding while the gear teeth remain in intermeshing relationship whereby swinging movement of one of the jaw members in one direction effects swinging of the other jaw member in the opposite direction;

pinion means on one of the jaw members and rotatable therewith about the axis of rotation of the same;

elongated rack structure shiftably carried by the frame assembly in operably meshing relationship with said pinion means, said rack structure being of sufficient length and arranged to effect rotation of the pinion means through an angular path of travel to rotate said one jaw member through said are exceeding 90 when the rack means is shifted from one end of its path of travel to the opposite extremity thereof; and

power means carried by the frame assembly and operably coupled to said rack structure for reciprocating the latter to open and close said jaw members.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said rack structure is of generally rectilinear configuration and said power means comprises a piston and cylinder unit, said unit being mounted on the frame assembly in overlying, generally parallel relationship to said rack structure, there being means operably coupling the outer extremity of the piston of said unit to one extremity of the rack structure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 654,931 Aiken July 31, 1900 1,619,729 Howard Mar. 1, 1927 1,909,813 Crosbie May 16, 1933 2,056,883 Brown Oct. 6, 1936 2,412,845 Stevens Dec. 17, 1946 2,701,649 Hallstrom Feb. 8, 1955 2,732,083 Smith Jan. 24, 1956 2,814,396 Neale Nov. 26, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 809,862 France Dec. 19, 1936 

1. IN APPARATUS FOR HOLDING UTILITY POLES OR THE LIKE, A FRAME ASSEMBLY; A PAIR OF ELONGATED JAW MEMBERS EACH HAVING ONE END THEREOF TOOTHED TO PROVIDE A GEAR SEGMENT THEREON; MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTING SAID MEMBERS ON SAID ASSEMBLY WITH SAID GEAR SEGMENTS THEREOF INTERMESHED AND SAID MEMBERS SUPPORTED FOR ROTATION ABOUT RESPECTIVE, SPACED, PARALLEL AXES AND IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS WHENEVER EITHER OF SAID MEMBERS IS SWUNG; A PINION RIGIDLY MOUNTED 